This past week the Cornerstone second graders have been exploring Google applications to support their writing and their workflow in the AT&T Classroom. The second graders each have an assigned Cornerstone Gmail address that they use to log in to Google Drive to access various applications within the G-Suite such as Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Slides. This past week the students explored Google Docs, a web-based application for creating, editing, and storing documents online and used the application to write a letter of appreciation to a special Cornerstone staff member in conjunction with Cornerstone Staff Appreciation Week.
The second graders also learned to use Google Slides, a web-based presentation tool for creating slides that can include text, images, audio, video, and hyperlinks. This past week the second graders used Google Slides to write acrostic poems about the main characters in the story The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate.
This past week Mrs. McFeaters introduced the second graders to EPIC! for independent reading practice. The EPIC! platform offers an ebook library designed for readers in the elementary grades. Paid subscriptions allow for student profiles to be created for tracking student progress and for offering personalized book recommendations for the student based upon the student's reading level and interests. The elibrary is accessible on all platforms and devices so students can use it both at school and at home or wherever they have access to a device.
A highlight of the week was the second graders’ visit to the Poetry Park at Kent State’s Wick Poetry Center. The Wick Poetry Center is one of the leading poetry centers in the United States, offering a range of programming opportunities for emerging and established poets including education, outreach, performance, and publication. The center includes the Poetry Park, an interactive outdoor area that serves as a gathering space for reflection, writing and performances. The students enjoyed capturing digital photos with their iPads within the gardens and viewing the park's poetry posters known as the Traveling Stanzas, a collaborative project of the center and Kent State Visual Communication Design students with local school children, veterans, healthcare providers, and patients at area hospitals.
The second graders also had an opportunity to tour the beautiful facilities within the Wick Poetry Center including the library and the “Poet’s Loft” which provides inspiring views of the Kent State campus and downtown Kent.
Back in the AT&T Classroom, the students were introduced to Pic Collage for Kids, a free design tool that they used to create a photo collage of their visit to the Wick Poetry Center. Also known as Pic Kids for short, Pic Collage for Kids is a free app for creating scenes and collages with photos taken with an iOS device. Features of the app allow students to design a customized photo collage by adding text, backgrounds, and stickers.
JOIN US SUMMER 2017 AT KENT STATE UNIVERSITY FOR OUR AT&T CLASSROOM TECHNOLOGY CAMPS
Spring Discount Registration Rates Available through May 15, 2017
